Method and system for controlling thermal load distribution in a portable computing device

Abstract

Methods and systems for managing thermal load distribution on a portable computing device (“PCD”) include storing on a PCD a plurality of thermal load steering scenarios which identify simulated thermal load conditions for the PCD, corresponding simulated workloads that produced the simulated thermal load conditions, and thermal load steering parameters for steering the simulated thermal load to a predetermined spatial location on the PCD. A scheduled workload for the PCD is monitored to identify a match with one of the thermal load steering scenarios so that the workload may be scheduled according to a thermal load steering parameter. Another method includes initiating a thermal mitigation technique on a PCD and determining a current graphical load being processed by the PCD. A graphics feature associated with the current graphical load is identified. The graphics feature is then disabled while maintaining a frame rate to reduce temperature of the PCD.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for controlling thermal load distribution in a portable computing device comprising:
 storing in a portable computing device a plurality of thermal load steering scenarios, each of the thermal load steering scenarios identifying a simulated thermal load condition for the portable computing device, a corresponding simulated workload that produced the simulated thermal load condition, and a thermal load steering parameter comprising information for steering the simulated thermal load to a predetermined spatial location on the portable computing device; 
 monitoring a scheduled workload for the portable computing device; 
 determining if the scheduled workload matches one of the thermal load steering scenarios; 
 if the scheduled workload matches one of the thermal load steering scenarios, determining the corresponding thermal load steering parameter; and 
 scheduling the scheduled workload according to the thermal load steering parameter. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining if the scheduled workload matches one of the thermal load steering scenarios comprises determining that the scheduled workload matches one of the simulated workloads. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising managing one or more thermal policies of the portable computing device. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the managing one or more thermal policies comprises:
 monitoring temperature of the portable computing device with at least one of an internal thermal sensor and an external thermal sensor; 
 determining if a change in temperature has been detected by at least one thermal sensor; 
 if the change in temperature has been detected by a thermal sensor, then increasing a frequency in which temperature readings are detected; 
 determining if a current temperature of the portable computing device as detected by one or more of the thermal sensors falls within a first predetermined temperature range; and 
 if the current temperature of the portable computing device falls within the first predetermined temperature range, then initiating one or more first thermal mitigation techniques in order to reduce temperature of the portable computing device. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising determining if the current temperature of the portable computing device as detected by one or more of the thermal sensors falls within a second predetermined temperature range. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining if the scheduled workload does not match one of the thermal load steering scenarios, and if the scheduled workload does not match one of the thermal load steering scenarios, then monitoring at least one of millions of instructions per second (MIPs) per processor and power load per processor. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the portable computing device comprises at least one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, a smartphone, a navigation device, and a hand-held computer with a wireless connection or link. 
     
     
       8. A computer system for controlling thermal load distribution in a portable computing device, the system comprising:
 a processor operable to:
 store in a portable computing device a plurality of thermal load steering scenarios, each of the thermal load steering scenarios identifying a simulated thermal load condition for the portable computing device, a corresponding simulated workload that produced the simulated thermal load condition, and a thermal load steering parameter comprising information for steering the simulated thermal load to a predetermined spatial location on the portable computing device; 
 monitor a scheduled workload for the portable computing device; 
 determine if the scheduled workload matches one of the thermal load steering scenarios; 
 if the scheduled workload matches one of the thermal load steering scenarios, determine the corresponding thermal load steering parameter; and 
 schedule the scheduled workload according to the thermal load steering parameter. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further operable to determine if the scheduled workload matches one of the thermal load steering scenarios comprises the processor operable to determine that the scheduled workload matches one of the simulated workloads. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor being further operable to manage one or more thermal policies of the portable computing device further comprises:
 the processor being operable to:
 monitor temperature of the portable computing device with at least one of an internal thermal sensor and an external thermal sensor; 
 determine if a change in temperature has been detected by at least one thermal sensor; 
 if the change in temperature has been detected by a thermal sensor, then increase a frequency in which temperature readings are detected; 
 determine if a current temperature of the portable computing device as detected by one or more of the thermal sensors falls within a first predetermined temperature range; and 
 if the current temperature of the portable computing device falls within the first predetermined temperature range, then initiate one or more first thermal mitigation techniques in order to reduce temperature of the portable computing device. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further operable to:
 manage one or more thermal policies of the portable computing device. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further operable to:
 determine if the current temperature of the portable computing device as detected by one or more of the thermal sensors falls within a second predetermined temperature range. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further operable to:
 determine if the scheduled workload does not match one of the thermal load steering scenarios, and 
 if the scheduled workload does not match one of the thermal load steering scenarios, then monitor at least one of millions of instructions per second (MIPS) per processor and power load per processor. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the portable computing device comprises at least one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, a smartphone, a navigation device, and a hand-held computer with a wireless connection or link. 
     
     
       15. A system for controlling thermal load distribution in a portable computing device comprising:
 means for storing in a portable computing device a plurality of thermal load steering scenarios, each of the thermal load steering scenarios identifying a simulated thermal load condition for the portable computing device, a corresponding simulated workload that produced the simulated thermal load condition, and a thermal load steering parameter comprising information for steering the simulated thermal load to a predetermined spatial location on the portable computing device; 
 means for monitoring a scheduled workload for the portable computing device; 
 means for determining if the scheduled workload matches one of the thermal load steering scenarios; 
 means for determining the corresponding thermal load steering parameter if the scheduled workload matches one of the thermal load steering scenarios; and 
 means for scheduling the scheduled workload according to the thermal load steering parameter. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the means for determining if the scheduled workload matches one of the thermal load steering scenarios further comprises means for determining that the scheduled workload matches one of the simulated workloads. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising means for managing one or more thermal policies of the portable computing device. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 17 , wherein the means for managing one or more thermal policies further comprises:
 means for monitoring temperature of the portable computing device with at least one of an internal thermal sensor and an external thermal sensor; 
 means for determining if a change in temperature has been detected by at least one thermal sensor; 
 means for increasing a frequency in which temperature readings are detected if the change in temperature has been detected by a thermal sensor; 
 means for determining if a current temperature of the portable computing device as detected by one or more of the thermal sensors falls within a first predetermined temperature range; and 
 means for initiating one or more first thermal mitigation techniques in order to reduce temperature of the portable computing device. 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 means for determining if the current temperature of the portable computing device as detected by one or more of the thermal sensors falls within a second predetermined temperature range. 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 means for determining if the scheduled workload does not match one of the thermal load steering scenarios, and 
 means for monitoring at least one of millions of instructions per second (MIPS) per processor and power load per processor if the scheduled workload does not match one of the thermal load steering scenarios. 
 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the portable computing device comprises at least one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, a smartphone, a navigation device, and a hand-held computer with a wireless connection or link. 
     
     
       22. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method controlling thermal load distribution in a portable computing device, said method comprising:
 storing in a portable computing device a plurality of thermal load steering scenarios, each of the thermal load steering scenarios identifying a simulated thermal load condition for the portable computing device, a corresponding simulated workload that produced the simulated thermal load condition, and a thermal load steering parameter comprising information for steering the simulated thermal load to a predetermined spatial location on the portable computing device; 
 monitoring a scheduled workload for the portable computing device; 
 determining if the scheduled workload matches one of the thermal load steering scenarios; 
 if the scheduled workload matches one of the thermal load steering scenarios, determining the corresponding thermal load steering parameter; and 
 scheduling the scheduled workload according to the thermal load steering parameter. 
 
     
     
       23. The computer program product of  claim 22 , wherein the program code implementing the method further comprises:
 determining that the scheduled workload matches one of the simulated workloads. 
 
     
     
       24. The computer program product of  claim 22 , wherein the program code implementing the method further comprises:
 managing one or more thermal policies of the portable computing device. 
 
     
     
       25. The computer program product of  claim 24 , wherein the program code implementing the method further comprises:
 monitoring temperature of the portable computing device with at least one of an internal thermal sensor and an external thermal sensor; 
 determining if a change in temperature has been detected by at least one thermal sensor; 
 if the change in temperature has been detected by a thermal sensor, then increasing a frequency in which temperature readings are detected; 
 determining if a current temperature of the portable computing device as detected by one or more of the thermal sensors falls within a first predetermined temperature range; and 
 if the current temperature of the portable computing device falls within the first predetermined temperature range, then initiating one or more first thermal mitigation techniques in order to reduce temperature of the portable computing device. 
 
     
     
       26. The computer program product of  claim 25 , wherein the program code implementing the method further comprises:
 determining if the current temperature of the portable computing device as detected by one or more of the thermal sensors falls within a second predetermined temperature range. 
 
     
     
       27. The computer program product of  claim 22 , wherein the program code implementing the method further comprises:
 determining if the scheduled workload does not match one of the thermal load steering scenarios, and 
 if the scheduled workload does not match one of the thermal load steering scenarios, then monitoring at least one of millions of instructions per second (MIPS) per processor and power load per processor. 
 
     
     
       28. The computer program product of  claim 22 , wherein the portable computing device comprises at least one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, a smartphone, a navigation device, and a hand-held computer with a wireless connection or link.